“She says—I mean, I’m told,” said the poor man, “that it’s sought after by the very best. The English have not our silly pride. When a thing is a good thing and freely offered——”
“You will not get it, anyway,” said Mrs Ogilvy, quickly. “You’re not a clergyman according to the English way. You’re a Scotch minister. But if all this is to be done, I’m thinking it means that there will be no place for Susie at all in her father’s house.”
“She will marry,” the minister said.
“And how can you tell that she will marry? Is she to do it whether she will or not? There might be more reasons than one for not marrying. It’s not any man she wants, but maybe just one man.”
Mrs Ogilvy thought she was well aware what it was that had kept Susie from marrying. Alas, alas! what would she think of him now if she saw him, and how could she bear to see the wonder and the pain reflected in Susie’s face?
“I thought,” said Mr Logan, rising up, “that I would have found sympathy from you. I thought you would have perceived that it was as much for Susie I was thinking as for myself. She will never break the knot till it’s done for her. She thinks she’s bound to those bairns; but when she sees they are all provided for without her——”
“The boys by the care of a servant. The little ones in a school that is just disguised charity——”
“You’re an old friend, Mrs Ogilvy, but not old enough or dear enough to treat my arrangements like that.”
“Oh, go away, minister!” cried the mistress of the Hewan. She was beginning to remember that Robbie’s train might come in at any moment, and that she would not for the world have him brought face to face with Mr Logan without any warning or preparation. “Go away! for we will never agree on this point. I’ve nothing to say against you for marrying. If your heart’s set upon it, you’ll do it, well I know; but to me Susie and the bairns are the first thing, and not the second. Say no more, say no more! for we’ll never agree.”
“You’ll not help me, then?” he said.